As a part of its ongoing "clean up" drive to rid the party of criminal elements, the ruling BSP in Uttar Pradesh today expelled 500 leaders and workers with dubious antecedents across the state.

As a part of its ongoing "clean up" drive to rid the party of criminal elements, the ruling BSP in Uttar Pradesh today expelled 500 leaders and workers with dubious antecedents across the state.

"A final decision in this regard was taken during a meeting of senior leaders and zonal coordinators chaired byparty supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati this evening," a BSP spokesman said.

Immediately after addressing a workers convention, Mayawati held a meeting with the coordinators and sought listsof workers and leaders having criminal antecedants, who have been expelled from the party, he said.

She has also sought a second list of big criminals still left in the party to be presented at its next meeting on May13.

Mayawati said criminals would not be given any place in the party and only those with a clean image would be promoted.

"Those indulging in wrong activities will be ousted," she was quoted as saying at the meeting.

"During the two-hour-long meeting, excluding Mirzapur zone, reports submitted by all other coordinators were foundto be correct on the basis of which 500 people having criminal antecedants were expelled from the BSP," he said.

The spokesman said that zonal coordinator of Mirzapur division Narain Das Ahirwar has also been expelled from theparty for furnishng a false report.

"Ahirwar was given the responsibility of identifying the criminal elements and to expel them. But instead of actingagainst criminal elements, Ahirwar influenced by local politics expelled genuine workers," he said.